Apple Macintosh IIvx

Apple Macintosh IIvx

[Vin60]

The Apple Macintosh IIvx, released in 1992, was most notable for being the first Macintosh to accommodate an internal CD-ROM drive and for introducing a new all-metal case design. Its claim to fame was pioneering multimedia capabilities in the Mac lineup, setting the stage for CD-ROM drives to become standard in later computers, though its rushed development led to performance compromises—its 32 MHz processor was bottle-necked by a 16 MHz bus, making it slower than older models like the IIci. While it marked an important transitional moment in Apple’s hardware evolution, the IIvx was only modestly popular and quickly became obsolete, to the point where the term “IIvx’ed” entered Mac lore to describe buying a computer that was rapidly superseded by better models.

• Manufacturer: Apple Computer Inc.
• Released: October 1992
• Type: Personal Computer
• Cost at release: USD $2,950 (CAD ~$6,850 adjusted for inflation)
• MIPS: 2.7

Hardware Specifications

• Processor: Motorola 68030, 32 MHz
• Floating Point Unit (FPU): Motorola 68882
• System Bus Speed: 16 MHz
• L1 Cache: 0.5 KB
• L2 Cache: 32 KB
• Memory: 4 MB onboard, expandable to 68 MB (4 x 30-pin SIMM slots, 80 ns)
• Video Memory (VRAM): 512 KB or 1 MB (supports up to 1 MB, 2 SIMM slots)
• Hard Drive: 40 MB, 80 MB, 230 MB, or up to 400 MB SCSI internal hard drive options
• Floppy Drive: 1.44 MB auto-inject
• CD-ROM: Optional internal double-speed (2x) CD-ROM drive
• Expansion Slots: 3 NuBus slots, 1 Processor Direct Slot (PDS)
• Ports: 2 ADB, DB-15 video, DB-25 SCSI, printer, modem, omni microphone
• Power Supply: 230 watts, 100-240V, 50-60 Hz
• Case Type: High-profile desktop

Operating System & Programming Languages 

• O/S: System 7.1 and officially supports Mac OS versions from 7.1 up to 7.6.1.
• Programming Languages:
  • Pascal (notably Object Pascal), C, C++, and assembly language.
  • Apple’s Macintosh Programmer’s Workshop (MPW) allowed developers to mix these languages, and MacApp (Apple’s application framework) was written in Object Pascal and later C++

 Notables

• The Macintosh IIvx was the first Macintosh to offer an internal CD-ROM drive, marking Apple’s entry into multimedia computing and paving the way for future Mac models with built-in optical drives.
• It was also the first Mac to use a fully metal case, a design that would be reused in later models like the Centris 650, Quadra 650, and Power Macintosh 7100.
• The IIvx’s development was rushed after Apple’s CEO promised a CD-ROM Mac at MacWorld Tokyo, resulting in design compromises—most notably, its 32 MHz CPU was bottlenecked by a 16 MHz bus, making it slower than older Macs like the IIci and even the IIx.
• Its codename during development was “Brazil 16c”.
• The IIvx is infamous for the term “IIvx’ed,” which entered Mac folklore to describe the disappointment of buying a computer that was rendered obsolete almost immediately—Apple released the much faster Centris 650 at the same price just months later. Its legacy is a cautionary tale in Apple history, remembered more for its rapid obsolescence and the frustration of early adopters than for its technical achievements
• The IIvx was closely related to the Performa 600, which was essentially a consumer version of the same hardware.
• The IIvx’s unique CD-ROM drive used a cartridge-style caddy rather than the tray-loading mechanisms that became standard later.

Donated by: Arlen Michaels